Trouser toppers



Nov. 30, 1965 E. N. NECKEL 3,220,622

TROUSER TOPPERS Filed Aug. 2, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [om/Iva /V/CHO75 NEG/(EL FTTORNEXS Nov. 30, 1965 E. N, NECKEL TROUSER TOPPERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1962 INVENTOR.

w& m #5 Z N M; WW m/ 5% E. N. NECKEL TROUSER TOPPERS Nov. 30, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 2, 1962 INVENTOR. [DWI/ND Alla/044.5 IVECKEL arranxvE/s United States Patent 3,220,622 TROUSER TOPPERS Edmund N. Neckel, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Mc- Graw-Edison Company, Elgin, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 214,289 11 Claims. (Cl. 223-73) This invention relates to apparatus for finishing the upper portions of trousers, such apparatus being conventionally known as a trouser topper.

The invention has for its primary object the provision of a trouser topper which is characterized by its structural simplicity, the economy of its manufacture and operation, the ease of assembly of its parts, the attractive forms in which the device may be made, and the particularly effective manner in which it performs its function.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trouser topper which is subject to direct operator control, yet affords an automatic steaming and blowing cycle at one point in the overall operation to obtain maximum controlled ef'riciency of the topping apparatus.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trouser topper wherein the pleat clamps thereof are swingable upwardly away from the trouser-holding buck while being maintained parallel with said buck in every position of their movements.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a trouser topper in which all of the means for control of operating the apparatus are provided at the front thereof and thus are readily accessible to an operator.

Further objects of the present invention and a number of its advantages will be referred to in or will be evident from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the trouser topper;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section, taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the trouser topper;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail of a steaming tube;

FIG. 5 is a combined pneumatic and electrical diagram showing the controls of the trouser topper;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, front elevation of a pleat clamp;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of said pleat clamp;

FIG. 8 is a section taken generally along the line 88 of FIG. 1, showing an enlarged front view of a waistband clamp; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of said waistband clamp.

Before the trouser topper here illustrated is specifically described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the structural details or the arrangement of parts here shown, as trouser toppers embodying the present invention may take various forms. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, as the scope of the present invention is denoted by the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the trouser topper here illustrated comprises a generally upright frame 19 supporting a buck l1, pleat clamps 12, a waistband clamp 13, and a control box 14. The frame 10 is generally Z-shaped in side elevation and has a forwardly cantilevered portion at its upper end, the distal end portion of which supports the buck, pleat clamps, waistband clamp, and control box. The buck 11 depends from said distal end portion, and the upright and cantilevered portions of the frame are hollow to afford conduit means for directing heated air to the area of said buck. The pleat clamps 12 and the waistband clamp 13 pivot 3,225,622 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 downwardly into contact with the buck 11, and the control box 14 is mounted generally between said pleat clamps, forwardly of the cantilevered portion of the frame 10.

The frame 10 comprises a base 20 having an upwardly and obliquely rearwardly directed body portion 21 and a forwardly directed, cantilevered portion 22. Said cantilevered portion is disposed horizontally and is mounted at its rearward end to the top of the body portion 21. As herein illustrated, both said body portion and said cantilevered portion are generally rectangular in section. Adjacent the lower end of the hollow body portion 21, a blower 23 is provided which is mounted within said body portion and is driven by an electric motor 24 mounted upon the base 20. A front face 25 of the body portion 21 is provided with louvers 26 adjacent the blower 23 to provide an air intake for said blower. A heater 27 is also mounted within the hollow body portion 21 immediately above the blower 23, whereby air drawn in through the louvers 26 is heated as it passes upwardly through said body portion from the blower 23.

The buck 11 comprises a depending, arcuate, perforated plate 30 which is forwardly convex and provided with suitable padding 3011, FIG. 7, the plate 30 being rigidly attached at its upper end to the distal end of the cantilevered frame base portion 22 and being open at its rearwardly directed, concave side. As seen from the front (FIG. 3), the plate is bifurcated adjacent its lower end to provide a crotch 31.

A lower, horizontal wall 28 of the hollow, cantilevered frame base portion 22 terminates short of the distal end of said cantilevered portion to thereby provide an opening 29 for directing the heated air coming from the frame base body portion 21 downwardly directly behind the buck plate 39. A loose, baglike cover 32 made of a cloth, such as nylon or the like, encases the plate 30 and is secured at its upper open end around the periphery of the opening 29. The baglike cover 32 is also bifurcated, as seen from the front thereof (FIG. 3), to form a crotch 33 which complementarily interfits the crotch 31 of the plate 30. At certain stages in the operation of the trouser topper, the heated air which is forcefully directed through the opening 29 into said cover causes said cover to inflate or billow out to the shape illustrated in full line in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

To the baglike cover 32 is large enough to afford substantial room for expansion in a rearward direction. A flexible, arcuate supporting piece 34 (FIG. 2) is disposed within the cover 32 diametrically opposite the buck plate 3t), said supporting piece carrying a forwardly directed bracket 35. The distal end of said bracket carries an upwardly directed rod 36 which is secured at its upper end to a slide 37. Said slide is mounted within a captive guide 38 which is, in turn, mounted to the lower surface of the lower wall 28 of the frame base cantilevered portion 22. The slide 37 is movable forwardly and rearwardly along the captive guide'38 toward and away from the buck plate 30, and is actuated by a cylinder and piston motor 39 having a piston rod 39a connected to a downturned leg 37a of the slide 37. When the piston rod 39a is retracted, the upper portion of the cover 32 is mechanically expanded rearwardly to a position determined by the size of the trousers, one such position being shown in full line in FIG. 1. When the piston rod is moved forwardly to the dotted line position, the upper portion of said cover contracts and the cover assumes generally the shape shown by the broken lines. The buck plate 30, supporting piece 34, and cover 32 provide an expansible form, actuated by the motor 39, for receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers.

The buck 11 is provided with heating loops 41 of steam-carrying tubing which are positioned directly behind and adjacent the buck plate 30. Steaming tubes 42 are also disposed behind the buck plate within the bag like cover 32, one of said tubes being shown in detail in FIG. 4. Each steaming tube comprises a perforated central portion 43 having a coiled spacer 43a telescoped thereover, the spacer as herein illustrated, comprising a spirally wound wire. Over the wire, there is provided a separate, preferably fabric, jacket 43b. The heating loops and steaming tubes are mounted in any suitable manner behind the buck plate 30 and are provided with steam from any uitable source (not herein disclosed). The steaming tubes do not carry steam at all times but are subject to the controls of the present apparatus in a manner to be hereinafter fully disclosed. It will be understood that suitable piping, not here illustrated, is provided, preferably within the hollow body portion 21 and cantilevered portion 22 of the frame base, to direct steam to the heating loops and steaming tubes.

The pleat clamps 12 are shown in detail in FIGS. 6 and 7. There are two of said pleat clamps disposed symmetrically on either side of the centrally disposed control box 14 in such manner as to pivot downwardly into contact with the buck plate 30 on either side of the crotch 31 thereof. Said pleat clamps are identical in construction and only one of them will be described in detail, it being understood that the description of one applies equally to the other.

Each pleat clamp 12 has a base casting 45 which is rigidly secured adjacent the end of the cantilevered frame portion 22. Said base casting has a floor-engaging portion 46 which is secured directly by bolts 46a to the cantilevered portion 22 and it also has a plurality of outwardly projecting wall portions. As shown in FIG. 6, said casting has parallel, spaced wall portions 47 and 48 and therebelow, a second pair of parallel, spaced wall portions 49 and 50. The wall portion 49 comprises a downwardly extending part continuous with the wall portion 47, and the wall portion 50 is spaced therefrom less than half of the distance of the spacing between the wall portions 47 and 48. The base casting 45 also has an integrally formed bearing portion 51 disposed generally in vertical alignment with the wall portion 50 and projecting away from the floor-engaging portion 46 beyond the outer edges of any of said wall portions.

The upper wall portions 47 and 48 have an axially horizontal shaft 52 journalled therein, and the lower wall portions 49 and 50 have a parallel shaft 53 journalled therein. The shaft 52 projects laterally outwardly beyond the wall portion 48 and has rigidly secured thereto one end of an arm 54. The relatively lower shaft 53 projects in the opposite direction outwardly beyond the wall portion 49 and carries a rigidly secured arm 55. The outer ends of the arms 54 and 55 carry, respectively, right angularly disposed, inwardly directed offsets 56 and 57, the inner ends of which are journalled in a support block 58. The offset 56 is journalled adjacent the upper end of the support block 58, and the offset 57 is journalled adjacent the lower end of said support block. The vertical distance between the offsets 56 and 57 is identical with the vertical spacing between the shafts 52 and 53, whereby a parallel ruler effect is attained which causes the arms to hold the support block in a vertical position at any point in the pivoting of said arms.

A pinion 59 is fixedly mounted upon the upper shaft 52 intermediate the wall portions 47 and 48 adjacent the bearing portion 51. A pinion 60 of the same size is fixedly mounted upon the inner end of the relatively lower shaft 53 which projects beyond the lower wall portion 50, with the result that the pinion 59 and 60 are in vertical alignment. The pinions mesh with a vertically disposed rack 61 which is held in engagement with said pinions by means of a backup roller 62 rotatively journalled in the bearing portion 51.

The upper end of the rack 61 is secured to a piston rod 63 of a cylinder and piston motor 64, which is axially vertically disposed and mounted on top of the base casting 45. Reciprocation of the piston rod 63 by the motor 64 unitarily drives the shafts 52 and 53 by means of the rack 61 and the pinions 59 and 60. This causes the support block 58 to be arcuately swung upwardly or downwardly while being maintained in a vertical position by the arms 54 and 55.

The support block 58 carries a clamp plate 65 which preferably is a padded member adapted to be swung downwardly into fiatwise and complementary contact with the buck plate 30. The clamp plate 65 is disposed laterally between the arms 54 and 55 rearwardly of the support block 58 and carries on its forwardly directed side a stud 66. Said stud projects through an aperture 67 of the support block 58 and is held therein against rotation by a transverse pin 68 which projects through said support block and is slidably disposed within an elongated slot 69 of the stud 66. A coil spring 70 is telescoped over the stud 66 and is disposed between the support block 58 and the clamp plate 65, a collar 66a secured to the stud 66 limiting the forward position of said support block.

By the above arrangement, the clamp plate 65 i s swingable from the raised position of FIG. 7 downwardly into contact with the buck 11, as shown in FIG. 1. The arms 54 and 55 maintain the clamp plate in a vertical position at all times, whereby it is brought fiatwise against the buck with the pressure thereof distributed evenly over the rearwardly directed face of said clamp plate. The slot 69 and the spring 70 provide the clamp with a resilience when it is pressed into contact with a pair of trousers disposed upon the buck 11.

The waistband clamp 13 is shown in detail in FIGS. 8 and 9, and comprises a pair of spaced, parallel brackets secured to the forward end of the cantilevered portion 22 by means of flanges 76 and bolts 77. A cylinder and piston motor 78 is swingably mounted between the brackets 75 adjacent the upper edges of said brackets by trunnions 79 carried adjacent the upper end of said motor. An arm 80 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof between the brackets 75, adjacent the lower ends of said brackets, upon a small shaft 81. The same end of said arm carries a pair of spaced, shorter arms 82 on either side thereof, said shorter arms being uniformly angled upwardly and rearwardly from the arm 80, as shown in FIG. 9. The motor 78 has a piston rod 74, the lower end of which is disposed between and pivotally connected to the distal ends of the shorter arms 82.

Adjacent the outer, non-pivoted end of the arm 80 there is provided a support 83 which carries a preferably padded or faced clamping plate 84. Said clamping plate is arcuately swingable about the axis of the shaft 81 from the dotted line position of FIG. 9 to the full line position thereof wherein said clamping plate is brought firmly into fiatwise abutment with the buck plate 30 adjacent the upper end of said buck plate.

As will be hereinafter fully described, the motor 78 is used for swinging the arm 80 only upwardly, this occurring when the piston rod 74 is extended. An overcenter spring arrangement is provided which holds said arm 80 resiliently in either the upper, broken line position of FIG. 9 or the lower full line position thereof. This arrangement comprises a crossbar 85 which is secured to the arm 80 and extends laterally slightly beyond the brackets 75. The outer surfaces of said brackets carry small lugs 86 spaced upwardly from the bottom of said brackets and generally adjacent said flanges. Coiled springs 87 are connected at their ends, respectively, to one end of the crossbar 85 and to one of the lugs 86, the connecting points of said springs being such that when the arm 80 is moved from one extreme position to the other, said springs pass over the axis of the shaft 81 to provide the overcenter effect.

In the general operation of the present trouser topper, the operator stands directly in front of the apparatus adjacent the control box 14. A pair of trousers is placed upwardly over the buck 11 with the fly or opening of the trousers disposed toward the operator against the forward face of the buck plate 30. The operator then causes the supporting piece 34 to move rearwardly to take up the slack in the waist of the trousers, this being effected by the motor 39. The operator then manually swings the waistband clamp 13 downwardly to the full line position of FIG. 9 against the front of the trousers. The trousers are now in position for the finishing or topping operation which will best be understood in connection with the control diagram (FIG. 5).

In the diagram, all parts, valves, switches and the like are shown in the idle or non-operating position. When the operator initially places the trousers in position around the expansible form provided by the cover, buck plate, and supporting piece, and while holding the ends of the waistband together against the buck, he can actuate said supporting piece 34- to take up the slack in the trousers waist by operating a foot pedal 90 to the right or to the position shown in FIG. 3. As well shown in FIG. 1, this foot pedal is secured to the base and extends forwardly therefrom a suflicient distance to be readily accessible to the operator. When said pedal is pivoted to the right, it actuates a valve 91 by moving the spool 92 thereof to the right, and air from an air supply line 93 is directed through a pipe 94 to the forward end of the cylinder and piston motor 39. This causes the piston rod 39a to retract, thereby pulling the slide 37 away from the buck plate to take up the slack in the trousers. As previously mentioned, the operator then manually swings the waistband clamp 13 downwardly to hold the trousers at the front. There is no resistance by the motor 78 to the downward movement of the waistband clamp with the treadle in the righthand position as this connects said motor 78 with the atmosphere through a pipe 95. At the same time, the motor 39 is connected into the exhaust line 95 by the short pipe 96, whereby said motor 39 can act to retract the piston rod 39a.

If the top of the trousers is severely wrinkled or is otherwise in need of preconditioning, the operator can give the trousers a preliminary steaming either momentarily or for a short, timed period as the situation indicates. For momentary steaming, the operator presses a pushbutton switch 120 shown at the front of the control box 4 in FIG. 3 and in the upper, electrical portion of the diagram of FIG. 5. The switch 120 has normally closed contacts 120a and normally open contacts 12012. When the switch is depressed, the normally closed contacts 120a open and the normally open contacts 1201) close, whereby a circuit is completed from a main lead L1 through a conductor 121, contacts 120b, conductor 122, a solenoid 123, and conductor 124 to a main lead L2. Solenoid 123 actuates a valve 97 which directs air from the air supply line 93 through a pipe 98 to a directional valve 99. As herein illustrated, the directional valve 99 has a ball 100 which now moves to the left to close off a pipe 101 and at the same time admit pressure fluid to a pipe 102. The pipe 102 directs the pressure fluid to a pressure chamber 103 connected in line with a diaphragm actuator 103a adapted to operate a steam valve 104. Steam is thereby admitted from a steam supply line 105 to the steaming tubes 42. Release of the push-button switch opens the contacts 1201'), thereby de-energizing the solenoid 123 and closing the valve 97. In the closed position, valve 97 is adapted to quickly exhaust the pressure fluid through a vent 97a which causes the pressure in the pressure chamber 103 to drop almost immediately, thereby quickly cutting olf steam from the steam supply line 105.

If it is desired to steam the trousers for a short, timed period, a manual valve 106 is actuated. This valve admits pressure fluid from the air supply line 93 through air line 107, said valve 106, line 101, and the directional valve 99 from which it is directed to the actuator 103, as before, to turn on the steam. The pressure fluid passing through the directional valve 99 disposes the ball 100 to the right to block off the pipe 98 and allow the fluid to pass from the line 101 to the line 102. The directional valve 99 has connected therewith a needle valve 99a which allows a small, measured amount of escape of the pressure fluid. However, when the valve 106 is actuated, the escape of air through the needle valve is negligible in relation to the incoming air, whereby the steam valve 104 is actuated almost immediately as described above. The manual valve 106 has no exhaust port, and when it is released, pressure fluid is trapped within the pressure chamber 103, thereby holding the steam valve 104 in the open position. The trapped air leaks out through the needle valve 99a at a controlled, predetermined rate, whereby a short period of timed steaming is attained even though the manual valve 106 was only momentarily actuated. The needle valve 99a is preferably set to effect about five second of timed steaming.

The operator may at this time inflate the baglike cover 32 if required to complete the preconditioning phase of the trouser finishing operation, the cover being of pervious character to permit the escape of air therefrom for trouser finishing. Inflation of the cover is accomplished by pressing the push-button switch which has a pair of normally closed contacts 125a and a pair of normally open contacts 12511. Pressing the switch causes the normally closed contacts to open and the normally open contacts to close, thereby completing a circuit from the lead L1 through a conductor 126, normally open contacts 125b now closed, conductor 127, blower motor 24, and conductor 128 back to lead L2. This starts the motor 24 which drives the blower 23 to send air upwardly through the heater 27 and ultimately into the baglike cover 32. Release of the push-button switch 125 automatically shuts off the motor 24 to stop the blowing phase of the operation. As heretofore mentioned, the cover is pervious and the cover thus remains inflated only so long as air is supplied thereto.

After the preconditioning phase has been completed, the pleat clamps 12 are pivoted downwardly to the clamping position against the buck 11. The pleat clamps are lowered by operating air valves 108L and 103R. As shown in the diagram, the pressure fluid is normally directed through the main air supply line 93 to the valves 10%L and 108R from which it is directed to the pleat clamp cylinder and piston motors 64 through lines 109 and 110, respectively. These lines direct the fluid to the bottoms of the motors 64 to thereby cause the piston rods 63 to retract upwardly and hold the clamp plates 65 in their extreme upwardly pivoted positions. Actuation of the pleat clamp air valve 103L and 108R connects the supply line 93 with lines 111 and 112 leading to the tops of the motors 64 while at the same time, connecting the lines 109 and 110 to exhaust ports 103a and 108]), respectively. Valves 108L and 103R are also provided with exhaust ports 108C and 108d, respectivley, for exhausting fluid when the pleat clamps are actuated to move from their lowered to their raised positions.

At this time, the operator initiates an automatic steaming and air cycle. To effect this cycle, the diagram includes a pair of timers T1 and T2. These timers may be of any suitable type well known in the art with the timer T1 being used for steaming and the timer T2 being used for the air. The timers are conveniently adjustable by knobs or dials T1 and T2 accessible at the front of the control box 14 (FIG. 3).

To initiate the steam and air cycle, the operator presses a normally open starting switch to thereby close the contacts thereof. This completes a circuit from the lead L1 through conductor 131, switch 130, conductors 132, 133, and 134, normally closed contact 135a of switch 135 .of timer T1, conductor 136, closed switch 120, conductor 122, solenoid 123, and conductor 124 to lead L2. Energized solenoid 123 again actuates the valve 97 to turn on the steam to the steaming tubes 42 as above described. At the same time, a holding circuit is established by completing a circuit from the starting switch 130 through the conductor 132, conductor 133, a conductor 137, a coil 138, and a conductor 139 to the lead L2. The energized coil 138 closes normally open relay contacts 140 which completes a holding circuit from the lead L1 through a normally closed switch 141 of the timer T2, a conductor 142, relay contacts 140, conductor 133, switch 135 of timer T1, conductor 136, switch 120, conductor 122, to the solenoid 123. The coil 138 is also maintained in the energized condition by a circuit from the lead L1 through the switch 141, conductor 142, relay contacts 140, conductor 137, coil 138, and conductor 139 to the lead L2. Simultaneously with the above, a motor of the timer T1 is started by a circuit which is initially completed from the starting switch 130 through conductor 132, conductor 133, the motor 143 of the timer T1, and a conductor 144 to the lead L2. After the starting switch 130 has been released, the motor 143 is maintained energized by means of the closed relay contacts 140, the conductor 133, and the conductor 144.

The steaming continues for the preset time of the timer T1 and at the expiration of such time, the switch arm of the switch 135 moves from the contact 135a to a contact 135b. This isolates the solenoid 123 of the valve 97 and stops the steaming process. At the same time, it energizes a motor 145 of the timer T2 by completing a circuit from the lead L1 to the switch 141, conductor 142, relay contacts 140 now closed, conductor 133, conductor 134, switch 135, a conductor 146, the motor 145, back to the lead L2. At the same time, another circuit is set up from the conductor 146 to a branch conductor 147, switch 125, conductor 127, air motor 24, and conductor 128 to the lead L2. This starts the air motor 24 and causes the baglike cover 32 to inflate.

The blowing continues until the timer T2 times out and opens normally closed switch 141. This breaks the circuit to the coil 138, thereby allowing the normally open relay contacts 140 to reopen. The blower motor is thereby shut off and the two timers are simultaneously isolated. The timers are of a well known type which reset themselves automatically, the details of which are not herein illustrated.

The operator now depresses the foot pedal of treadle 90 to pivot it to the left, and as a result, pressure fluid is directed from the main supply line 93 to line 95 and to a branch line 113 which directs the fluid behind the valves 108L and 108R to cause them to shift back to the position illustrated in the diagram. This allows pressure fluid to be directed from the valves 108L and 108R through the lines 109 and 110 to the bottoms of the motors 64, whereby the pleat clamps 12 are opened. Pressure fluid is also directed from the line 95 through the line 96 to the cylinder and piston motor 39 to cause the supporting piece 34 to be moved in the direction of the buck plate 30, thereby collapsing the cover 32. Simultaneously with the two above mentioned operations, pressure fluid from the line 95 is being directed to the cylinder and piston motor 78 to cause the waistband clamp to open. The entire apparatus, including the control portions thereof, have been returned to their normal or neutral positions ready for a new cycle of operation.

It will be understood that many changes in the trouser topper, including the control means thereof, as herein illustrated and described, may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the appended claims. Also, other features and advantages of apparatus embodying the present invention will be evident from the foregoing embodiment.

What is claimed is:

1. A trouser topper, comprising an expansible form for receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers, said form having relatively fixed and movable members, a first power means for actuating said movable member, clamping means movably mounted relative to said expansible form and movable into and out of contact therewith, a second power means for actuating said clamping means, a first controller means, said second power means being responsive to said first controller means for moving said clamping means into contact with said form, and a second controller means for initiating the expansion and contraction of said expansible form, said first controller means being responsive to said second controller means, whereby said first controller means is reversed and causes said clamping means to move out of contact with said expansible form when said second controller means is actuated to cause said expansible form to contract.

2. A trouser topper, comprising an expansible form for receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers, said form having relatively fixed and movable members for expanding said form, a first clamping means movably mounted relative to said expansible form and movable into and out of clamping contact therewith, a second clamping means for retaining the trousers on said form and being movably mounted relative to said form for movement into clamping engagement with said form, a first power means for actuating said movable member, a second power means for actuating said first clamping means, a third power means for opening said second clamping means, first and second controller means, said first power means being responsive to said first controller means in one position to expand said form, said second power means being responsive to said second controller means in one position for moving said first clamping means into contact with said form, said first power means and said third power means being responsive to said first controller means in another position to respectively collapse said form and open said second clamping means, said second controller means being responsive to said first controller means in said other position, whereby it is moved to a second position, said second power means being responsive to said second controller means in said second position to move said first clamping means out of contact with said form.

3. A trouser topper, comprising an expansible form for receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers, a clamp, pivoting means carrying said clamp at one end thereof for arcuately swinging said clamp into and out of contact with said form, said pivoting means including means maintaining said clamp parallel with the outer surface of said form at every point in its swinging motion, means for delivering steam to the inside of said form, means for delivering heated air to the inside of said form, and control means for initiating and maintaining a cycle of operation including means whereby steam is first introduced into said form for a predetermined period of time after which the steam is automatically turned off and heated air is introduced into said form for a predetermined period of time to steam and dry the trousers while said clamp is in contact with said form.

4. A trouser topper, comprising a frame having a buck and expansible means movable toward and away from said buck for adjustably receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers, clamping means mounted upon said frame and movable relative to said buck to clamp thereagainst at least a portion of the trouser top, an inflatable cover encasing said buck and said expansible means, means to optionally deliver steam to the inside of said cover, means optionally delivering heated air to the inside of said cover, a first power means for actuating said expansible means, a second power means for actuating said clamping means, first and second controller means, said first power means being responsive to said first controller means in one position to move said expansible means away from said buck, said second power means being responsive to said second controller means in one position for moving said clamping means into contact with said buck, said first power means being responsive to said first controller means in another position to move said expansible means toward said buck, said second controller means being responsive to said first controller means in said other position to move to a second position, said second power means also being responsive to said second controller means in said second position to move said clamping means out of contact with said buck.

5. A trouser topper, comprising a frame having a base, a hollow upright portion, and a hollow horizontally disposed cantilevered portion, a buck depending from the distal end of said cantilevered portion, expansible means mounted adjacent said buck and movable toward and away from said buck; an inflatable baglike cover encasing said buck and said expansible means, a waistband clamp carried by said distal end and movable into clamping engagement with said buck for retaining a pair of trousers thereagainst, pleat clamps carried by said distal end on either side of said waistband clamp, pivoting means for arcuately swinging said pleat clamps into and out of engagement with said buck, said pivoting means including means maintaining said pleat clamps parallel with said buck at every point in their swinging motions, means mounted in said upright portion optionally forcing heated air upwardly into said cantilevered portion to be directed toward the distal end of said cantilevered portion, and said cantilevered portion having means defining an opening into said cover for delivering heated air thereto.

6. A trouser topper, comprising a frame having a base, a hollow upright portion, and a hollow horizontally disposed cantilevered portion, a buck depending from the distal end of said cantilevered portion, expansible means mounted adjacent said buck and movable toward and away from said buck, an inflatable baglike cover encasing said buck and said expansible means, a waistband clamp carried by said distal end and movable into clamping engagement with said buck for retaining a pair of trousers thereagainst, pleat clamps carried by said distal end on either side of said waistband clamp, pivoting means for swinging said pleat clamps into and out of engagement with said buck, said pivoting means comprising pairs of parallel acting arms pivotally mounted to said frame and said pleat clamps and effective to maintain said pleat clamps parallel with said buck at every point of their swinging motions, and means mounted in said upright portion optionally forcing heated air upwardly into said cantilevered portion to be directed toward the distal end of said cantilevered portion, said cantilevered portion having means defining an opening into said cover for delivering heated air thereto.

7. In a trouser topper, a pleat clamp for swinging into and out of engagement with a buck, pivoting means for said pleat clamp, said pivoting means comprising a pair of parallel acting arms pivoted at one end to means rigid with said buck, said pleat clamp pivotally being carried by the opposite ends of said arms whereby said pleat clamp is maintained parallel with said buck at every point of its swinging motion, and power means for swinging said arms.

8. In a trouser topper, a pleat clamp movable into and out of engagement with a buck, a pair of parallel acting arms pivoted at like ends thereof to means rigid with said buck on laterally and vertiaclly spaced pivots, the opposite ends of said arms being pivoted to said pleat clamp on laterally and vertically spaced pivots, driving means connected to said like ends for unitarily pivoting said arms to swing said pleat clamp in an arcuate motion toward or away from said buck while maintaining said pleat clamp parallel with said buck, power means connected to said driving means, and control means for said power means.

9. A trouser topper, comprising a supporting frame, an expansible form carried by said frame for receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers, a first air-operated motor means for expanding and contracting said form, a waistband clamp carried by said frame and swingable into and out of clamping contact with said form, asec- 0nd air-operated motor means for opening said waistband clamp out of contact with said form, a pair of pleat clamps carried by said frame and swingable into contact with said form, a third air-operated motor means for swinging said pleat clamps toward and away from said form, a first valve means manually movable between first and second positions, a second valve means manually movable to a first position and automatically movable by pressure fluid to a second position in response to said first valve means in its first position, said first and second motor means being responsive to said first valve means in its first position to respectively contract said expansible form and open said waistband clamp, said third motor means being responsive to said second valve means in its second position to cause said pleat clamps to open, said first motor means being responsive to said first valve means in its second position to cause said form to expand, said first valve means in said second position effecting the exhausting of air from said second motor means, whereby said waistband clamp can be manually closed, and effecting also the exhausting of pressure fluid from said second valve means, whereby said second valve means can be manually moved to its first position, and said third motor means being responsive to said second valve means in its first position to cause said pleat clamps to close.

19. A trouser topper, comprising a supporting frame, an expansible form carried by said frame for receiving the top portion of a pair of trousers, a first air-operated motor means for expanding and contracting said form, a waistband clamp carried by said frame and swingable into clamping contact with said form, a second air-operated motor means for opening said waistband clamp, 21 pair of pleat clamps, parallel acting arm means connecting said pleat clamps to said frame, whereby said clamps are swingable into pressing contact with said form while being maintained parallel with said form, a third air-operated motor means for swinging said pleat clamps toward and away from said form, a first valve means manually movable between first and second positions, a second valve means manually movable to a first position and automatically movable by pressure fluid to a second position in response to said first valve means in its first position, said first and second motor means being responsive to said first valve means in its first position to respectively contract said expansible form and open said waistband clamp, said third motor means being responsive to said second valve means in its second position to cause said pleat clamps to open, said first motor means being responsive to said first valve means in its second position to cause said form to expand, said first valve in said second position efiecting the exhausting of air from said second motor means, whereby said waistband clamp can be manually closed, and also eflecting the exhausting of pressure fluid from said second valve means, whereby said second valve means can be manually moved to its first position, and said third motor means being responsive to said second valve means in its first position to cause said pleat clamps to close.

11. In a trouser topper having clamping means for the top portions of trousers placed thereon, steaming tube means disposed adjacent said clamping means, a steam valve operable to release steam to said steaming tube means, said steam valve being responsive to an actuator and said actuator being responsive to means defining a pressure fluid accumulating chamber, a directional valve connected to said chamber and delivering pressure fluid to said chamber alternatively from either of two separate 11 conduit means, a solenoid operated valve disposed in one of said conduit means, a manual valve and a pressure fluid escape control valve disposed in the other of said conduit means, manual switch means for actuating said solenoid valve to pressurize said chamber and turn on said steam, said solenoid valve being responsive to release said switch means to exhaust pressure fluid from said chamber immediately and turn off said steam, said manual valve being adapted, upon actuation thereof, to direct pressure fluid to said chamber to turn on said steam and, upon release thereof, to block off said pressure fluid and maintain said chamber pressurized, said pressure fluid escape valve affording limited escape means for said pressure fluid whereby to delay the depressurization of said chamber and maintain the flow of steam to References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 848,951 4/ 1907 Aeppli-St-ocker 25133 2,309,848 2/1943 King 25l33 X 2,332,689 10/1943 Bell 22370 2,658,649 11/ 1953 Rosenthal 22373 2,672,249 3/ 1954 Ulinski 74-520 X 2,722,039 11/1956 Hoover et a1. W 22373 3,055,564 9/1962 Forse 22373 r JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 0 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner. 

1. A TROUSER TOPPER, COMPRISING AN EXPANSIBLE FORM FOR RECEIVING THE TOP PORTION OF A PAIR OF TROUSERS, SAID FORM HAVING RELATIVELY FIXED AND MOVABLE MEMBERS, A FIRST POWER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER, CLAMPING MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO SAID EXPANSIBLE FORM AND MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF CONTACT THEREWITH, A SECOND POWER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID CLAMPING MENAS, A FIRST CONTROLLER MEANS, SAID SECOND POWER MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO SAID FIRST CONTROLLER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CLAMPING MEANS INTO CONTACT WITH SAID FORM, 